Blizzard Barrels Toward Area

Nor'Easter Is Expected to Bring 2 Feet of Snow, Though Storm Surge Not Predicted to Rival Sandy's

A nor'easter is expected to dump between two and 20 inches of snow on the Northeast. Brad Lyon, International Research Institute for Climate and Society Research scientist, joins The News Hub with the latest. Photo: AP.

By

Tamer El-Ghobashy,

Heather Haddon and

Laura Nahmias

Feb. 7, 2013 8:58 p.m. ET

The New York region, where few snowflakes have been glimpsed all winter, launched itself onto emergency footing Thursday as authorities forecast a blizzard for Friday packing wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour and dumping as much as two feet of snow.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning, taking effect at 6 a.m. Friday and extending to 1 p.m. Saturday, and said near white-out conditions would make travel "extremely dangerous."

While New England is expected to absorb the brunt of the winter nor'easter, late forecasts Thursday indicated that New York City, Long Island and New Jersey would begin seeing significant snowfall beginning as early as Friday afternoon.

ENLARGE

Worker Shui Leung attaches chains to tires at a city Department of Sanitation facility on Thursday while transit and emergency officials throughout the area also prepared for the expected blizzard. City plows and salt-spreader trucks are slated to start rolling round-the-clock at 7 p.m. on Friday.
European Pressphoto Agency

Metropolis

In areas recovering from superstorm Sandy, authorities voiced concern that flooding and storm surge could wreck dunes and beaches that have been steadily rebuilding over the mild winter.

New York state emergency and transit officials said they were taking the impending snowstorm "very seriously," and recommended New York City residents avoid travel Friday afternoon—taking Friday off if possible.

Officials said the city could see between 12 and 20 inches of snow, with wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour. Storm surges in coastal areas could reach 3 to 5 feet, said Jerome Hauer, commissioner of the New York state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. He said that compared with Sandy-driven surges that topped out at more than 13 feet.

New York City schools planned to remain open Friday as of late Thursday, officials said.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority anticipated a hectic commute beginning Friday afternoon. Service could be "temporarily reduced or suspended" on Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road.

In low temperatures, freezing rain, or with the accumulation of more than five inches of snow, subway service in New York City could also be hampered, the MTA said. Some express trains could run as locals, and other lines could be curtailed. Heavy snowfall also would likely hamper city bus service. The city Department of Transportation warned commuters on the Staten Island Ferry to expect delays Friday afternoon.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said more than 250,000 tons of salt was on hand and that crews aboard plows and salt-spreader trucks would be working round-the-clock starting at 7 p.m. Friday.

"Having it happen overnight Friday into Saturday is probably as good timing as we could have because the sanitation department then has the advantage of cleaning the streets when there's normally less traffic," said Mr. Bloomberg, who held a news conference at a West Village Sanitation Department depot.

Alternate-side-of-the-street parking rules are suspended Friday.

Mr. Bloomberg received some of the toughest criticism of his mayoralty following a Dec. 26, 2010 storm when city services seemed overwhelmed. That winter, 61.9 inches of snow fell in Central Park, federal records show. Since then, snowfall has been scant. During the 2011-2012 winter, 7.4 inches fell. This winter so far: 5.1 inches.

A blizzard is defined by sustained winds or frequent gusts of wind measuring 35 miles per hour or more, with snow falls that reduce visibility to less than a quarter mile, according to the weather service.

ENLARGE

Sanitation trucks on Thursday are prepared for a possible blizzard.
European Pressphoto Agency

With historic snow totals and widespread power outages possible, emergency-management agencies set contingency plans into motion. The Long Island Power Authority, which serves Long Island and some sections of Queens, said that National Grid, which normally handles operations for LIPA, also would "communicate storm preparation and storm response to the public," a spokeswoman said.

LIPA was widely criticized for how it communicated with customers and local officials during and after Sandy. Lacking a computerized system to track information about power outages, LIPA relied on an outmoded system of paper maps, photos and Post-it Notes to coordinate its service efforts with National Grid.

A spokesman for the governor's office said it had been communicating with National Grid over several weeks to ensure they make advance preparations and response plans for storms.

Snowfall could reach two inches an hour Friday evening, said Gary Szatkowski, meteorologist for the National Weather Service's forecast office in Mount Holly, N. J. said.

"We could be looking at some very treacherous and dangerous road conditions," he said. "If you're stuck in your car for six to 12 hours, that's no fun."

According to FlightAware.com, more than 240 U.S. flights were canceled by late Thursday afternoon, and more than 1,100 were already canceled for Friday, including more than 200 at Newark Liberty International Airport, more than 50 out of La Guardia Airport and 24 out of JFK airport.

Amtrak officials said they would shut down service in the Northeast beginning just after midday on Friday. The final Northeast Regional train will depart Boston for New York at 1:40 p.m. Friday, and the final Acela Express will leave at 1:15 p.m., the railroad announced. The last departure from New York's Penn Station toward Boston will be the 1:03 p.m. Acela.

In New Jersey, the storm is expected to cause flooding and a storm surge of around three feet along the Atlantic coast north of Atlantic City—the same area ravaged by Sandy.

"This is going to slow people down there for several days and may undo some of what was done since Sandy," said Mr. Szatkowski,of the weather service.

Still, the storm surge is likely to be less than half that experienced during Sandy, Mr. Szatkowski said. He advised coastal residents to prepare for flooding, including bay areas that didn't traditionally get hit with water intrusions until Sandy.

Officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the agency was deploying additional staff and is assembling snow-fighting equipment for area's airports, bridges and tunnels, and the PATH train system. NJ Transit said it expected to run normal service on Friday and Saturday—but that was subject to change.

In Sandy-battered neighborhoods in the Rockaways, some residents who weathered the October storm said they were taking all precautions.

On Thursday, Jonathan Perez, a 25-year old construction worker who lives on Beach 114th Street said he was going to buy gas and all the supplies he might need in the event of a major disruption to heat and electricity.

"We're prepared this time," he said. "I stayed through all the storms this year—I'm not leaving for this. I've been rebuilding my home myself since Sandy."

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